Man held without bail in Darien stabbing death, kidnapping

A Darien man was ordered held without bail this morning on charges that he killed the man who was dating his former girlfriend and then kidnapped the terrified woman in an attempt to force her to provide an alibi.

According to court records, the woman had sought an order of protection against the man accused of the murder, but the request was denied in DuPage County court.

Joseph Spitalli, 34, appeared in DuPage County bond court today, following his arrest in the murder of Teymur Huseynli, 31, and the kidnapping of the woman. Prosecutors said Spitalli slashed Huseynli's throat.

The woman, accompanied by a friend, was in court, quietly sobbing as prosecutors laid out details of the incident for Judge George Bakalis.

Assistant State's Attorney Mike Pawl said the woman was terrified of the possibility that Spitalli would make bond.

"To say she’s frightened is the understatement of all understatements," Pawl said.

The woman sought an order of protection against Spitalli in September. An emergency request was denied Sept. 11. The request was also denied at a court hearing Oct. 2, according to prosecutors and court records.

The reason given for the denial on Oct. 2, signed by Judge Elizabeth Sexton, was that the woman had not presented credible evidence to meet the burden of proof required by the Illinois Domestic Violence Act.

A friend of the kidnapping victim told the Tribune the woman had lived with Spitalli from late last year to the beginning of September, and sought the order of protection when Spitalli began following her and showing up at her home and workplace.

In her request for the order of protection, the woman said Spitalli's behavior had become "erratic." She alleged Spitalli once locked her in the bathroom. She also alleged he once "raised his hand as if to hit me," but she was able to push it away.

Spitalli is accused of approaching the couple as they were leaving the woman’s apartment in the 7700 block of Wildwood Court in Darien about 12:30 a.m. Friday, and slashing Huseynli’s throat from behind, "severing the windpipe and exposing his vertebrae," according to prosecutors.

A spray of blood showered the woman, Pawl said. The woman told authorities Huseynli ran back toward the front of the residence but collapsed on the lawn.

Spitalli then pulled the woman into a car, threatening to kill her and her daughter if she did not do as she was told, Pawl said. Spitalli threw the knife out of the car window while driving, but it was later recovered, Pawl said.

As he drove around the area, he allegedly concocted a story that the woman was to tell police she and Huseynli had been attacked by two "black guys." At one point, he brought her to his apartment, where Spitalli’s roommate saw them "covered in blood," according to the court proffer.

Spitalli then drove the woman to the home of his parents, also in the Darien area, where he forced her to call 911 and make the report of the bogus attack, prosecutors said. During the call, Spitalli took the phone from the woman and repeated the concocted story.

When police arrived, they eventually separated Spitalli and the woman, and she told paramedics, who were treating a cut the woman received in the attack, that Spitalli had killed Huseynli, Pawl said.

Spitalli originally told police that Huseynli had died in the bogus attack, but then said he saw Husyenli kiss the woman, became angry and then "blacked out."

He later said he remembered putting the knife to Huseynli's throat to scare him, and that he accidentally slashed his throat when the woman grabbed his arm.

Prosecutors said Spitalli has a prior arrest for domestic violence in 2005, but the complaint was dismissed when the victim did not show up at court, Pawl said. The victim, who is not the same woman in the new case, was pregnant when Spitalli ordered her to leave their apartment, and to not come back.

If she did Spitalli said he would "slit her throat," Pawl said.

"I’m glad she’s alive,” the friend of the kidnapping victim said. "She's always been afraid. She always told them that she was afraid," but the judge told them there wasn't enough evidence to warrant an order of protection, the friend said.